Privacy latch set



March 25, 1958 A. J. LJNETlc ET AL PRIVACY LATCH SEIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March '7, 1955 ZaZr Ward- A. J. UNI-:Tlc .E1- AL 2,828,152

PRIVACY LATCH SET 2 Sheets-SheetI 2 Filed March' 7, 1955 @7 da 7J.

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March 25, 195s PRIVACY LATCH SET Andrew J. Unetic, Santa Ana, and Walter Ward, Anaheim, Calif., assignors to Kwilrset Locks, hic., Anaheim, Calif., a corporation of'California Application March: 7,. 19.55', Serial No. 492,446 s claims. (ci. 292-169) 'Ehis invention relates to a. privacy latch of the character generally utilized in bathrooms and bedrooms whereby the person. in. the. bathroom or bedroom may lock the latch. to prevent entry tothe room from the outside. Such privacy latches do: notv have conventional lock means` incorporated in the exterior knob or other portion thereof, but entry` may be: gained under emergency conditions by the utilization. of an emergency releaseV accessible from the exterior of; the latch..

In some privacylatch sets, after'the latch has been locked. from the interior of the latch, if the person should leave theroombefore closing the door and. should close the door after him the door would he locked because no means is provided whereby the latch: is unlocked when the bolt incorporated therein engages the strike of the door in which it' is incorporated.

It is, therefore,I an object of our invention` to provide a. privacy latch which". includes both. emergency release means for releasing the lock ofthe latch. under emergency conditions and automatic release means for the lock energizable by the bolt engaging the strike with the latch in locked condition. so that the possibility of an individuals inadvertently locking himself out` of. the room after the latch has been locked is avoided.

vAn additional object of our invention is the provision of a privacy latch of the aforementioned character where-v in the means for energizing the privacy latch is constituted by a depressible button mounted inA the inner knob of the latch, said latch also including means whereby, when the inner knob is rotated, the lock of the latch is automatically released to return the button to its firstk inoperative position in which. it projects beyond the inner knob in. which it is located- An additional object of our invention is the provision of a privacy latch of the aforementioned character which includes a latch. housing. having abutment means provided thereupon and which also includes a longitudinally shiftable bar having a dogging meansV provided thereupon engageable with the abutment on the housing to prevent rotation of the outer spindle of the latch after the doggin-g of the latch to lock the same.

A further object of our invention is the provision of a privacy latch which includes a bolt and a retractor therefor, said retractor being operable by spindle means and said spindle means being dogged against. operation by clogging means engageable therewith, the retractor having detent means incorporated therein to maintain the dogging means in dogging position to prevent operation ofl the spindle means. However, when the bolt of the latch engages a strike on a door jamb With the spindle means dogged against movement, the inward movement of the bolt in engaging the strike will cause the dogging means to be released to free the spindle means and to prevent inadvertent locking of the door in which the latch is incorporated.

Another object of our invention is the provision, in a latch of the aforementioned character, of retractor means including a retractor slide, said retractor slide incorporatatefnt i 2,828,152 .Patented Mart. 25, 19.58.

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ing a detent slide' engageable with the dogging means. of the latch to maintain said dogging means in dogging position, the'detent slide being movable with respect to the retractor slide to release ther do-ggingV means when' the bolt of the latch hits an associated strike with the latch inlocked position.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will be apparent from thev following specification and theaccompanying drawings which are forl the purpose of illustration only and in which:

Fig. l is a sectional view of a privacy latch incorporating the' teachings of our invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken` on the broken line 2-2 of Fig. l1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken ont-he brokenv line 3 3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is` aV vertical sectionali view taken on-y the broken line 4-4 of Fig; 1';-

Fig. 5 is a sectional View similar to Fig. l but showing the dogging means of the latch in operative position;

Fig. 6 isa vertical sectional viewv taken onthe broken line 6--6 of Fig; 5; and' Fig. 7 isa vertical sectional viewl taken on the broken line 7-71 of Fig. 5.

Referring tov the drawings and particularly' toy Fig. l thereof, we show a privacy latch set* 10 mounted in operative relationship with the edge of a door 1'25 and including an elongated, substantially tubular latch housing 14 located in a tubular bore 16 in the edgeof the door.

The latch housing i4' is provided with a face plate 18 located in a shallow mortise: 20 in the edgeof the door` 11.2v and has. a. reciprocable bolt' 20 mounted therein for movement: betweenv extended and retracted` positions.. The bolt 20 is extended from. the; latch housing 14? bymeans. of a compression spring Z2, the forward end: of which is received in a bore 24 in the bolt 20 and the rearward' end of which isseated on; a prong 26 provided: on the forward end of a retractor slide 28 which constitutes a part of the retractor means 3h of the latch..

Mounted on the inner side of the door 12 is an inner knob 32, said knobV having a hollow tubular shank` 34 in which is located aninsert 36 provided withv an annular shoulder 38. for the reception of lances 4h punched ina the tubular shank 34 to engage the shoulder 38 and cause the insert 36 and the shank. 34 tov rotate as a uniti The; insert,l as best shown in Figs. l andi 7 of the drawings,

is provided with a bore 42- for the reception` of an inner/- half-round spindle 44, said spindlel being held against ro-f tation in saidbore by the engagement of its opposite edges with shoulders 46 defining the opposite limits of said bore. Therefore, when the inner knob 32 is rotated, the insert 36 and the inner half-round spindle 44, mounted therein. rotate concomitantly therewith.

The inner knob 32v is mounted for rotation in an escutcheon 48, said escutcheonconsisting of an inner die-l cast. mount Sti and an outer rosette 52. overlying the mount Si); The inner knob 32 is; retained in operative relationship with the escutcheon by means of a sheet -metal washer 54 secured4 in the end of the insert 36. The

escutcheon 48. is. located in overlying relationship with a transverse opening 55 provided in the door 12 and com. municating with the tubular bore 16 and the inner halfround spindle 4.4 extends through said opening and through openings 5'8 provided in the side walls of the latch housing 14. The inner half-round spindle thus has its inner extremity iournaled in the openings 58 and its opposite longitudinal edges engaging the inner extremities of the retractor slide at 60, as best shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Therefore, the rotation of the inner knob 32 in either direction will cause concomitant rotation of the inner half-round spindle 44 and by virtue of the engagement of the opposite edges of said spindle with the inner extremities of the retractor slide 28 will cause the retractor slide to be moved in an outward direction against the bias of the compression spring 22. A retractor lever 62 is mounted 4on a pivot pin 63 for rotation by the retractor slide 23 and has one extremity 64 rotatable by said slide to cause concomitant rotation of the other extremity 66 thereof which is located in a slot 68 in the bolt 2t) so that outward movement of the slide 2S will cause rotation of the other extremity 66 of the retractor lever 62 in an inward direction to retract the bolt 2t? against the bias of the spring 22.

When the knob 32 is released, the spring 22 will simultaneously eject the bolt 2i) from the latch housing 14 and return the retractor slide 2S and its associated retractor lever 62 together with the half-pound spindle 44 and the knob 32 to their original, inoperative positions.

An outer knob 7d is mounted upon an insert 72 for rotation in an escutcheon '74. The insert 72 is, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 6 of the drawings, provided with a bore 76 for the reception of the outer extremity of an outer half-round spindle 73, said spindle being formed, in the present instance, by die-casting and having its inner extremity disposed within and in overlapping relationship with the inner extremity of the inner half-round spindle 4d, as best shown in Fig. l of the drawings. Rotation of the `outer knob 7d will cause concomitant rotation of the outer half-round spindle 78 and simultaneous movement of the retractor slide 23 and the retractor lever 62, together with the bolt 20 associated therewith.

The outer half-round spindle '78 is, as best shown in Figs. l and 5 of the drawings, provided with a radially extending integral lug 80 against which the inner extremity of the inner half-round spindle 44 abuts to locate the inner extremities or" the inner and outer half-round spindles 44 and 7S with respect to each other.

In order to secure the inner escutcheon 43 and the outer escutcheon 74 in operative relationship with each other, screws 82 are provided, as best shown in Fig. l of the drawings, for engagement with tapped bores 84 in integral sockets S6' provided on the mount 5@ and extending inwardly therefrom. ln this manner, the escutcheons are operatively related to the latch housing 14 and the inner and outer knobs 32 and 7i) maintained in operative relationship therewith to maintain the inner and outer spindles 44 and 78 in predetermined relationship with the retractor slide 28,

Dogging means S4 is provided in the latch it) and includes an elongated bar 36 extending through Vthe bores in the inserts 36 and 72 and having its opposite ends terminating within the inner and outer knobs 32 and 7i). The inner knob 32 is provided with a centrally located opening 8S through which extends an actuator button 96 and the outer knob 'iii is provided with a similar centrally located opening @2, said opening having an elongated tubular guide 94 communicating therewith which provides a spring seat 96 adjacent said opening for a compression spring 98 whose opposite end is biased against the shoulder 162 on the elongated bar 36. Therefore, the compression spring 55 continuously' biases the bar d6 in a left-hand direction, as best shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, to project the actuating button 9i) beyond the plane of the inner knob 32 through the opening 38.

The elongated bar 86 may be formed by any desired means and from any desired material, but in the present instance is fabricated by diecasting.

A dog 194. is formed on the bar 86 intermediate its ends and is engageable with an abutment 196 provided yon the latch housing 14, as best shown in Figs. l, 3, and 5 of the drawings. The normal tendency of the spring 9 8, as best shown in Fig. `5 of the drawings, is to shift the bar 86 to the right and to limit the extent of this movement there is provided an integral stop 108 which engages another abutment 106 identical with that previously described to limit the movement of the bar 86 by the spring 9d. When so urged to the right, the dog 1'24 is, of course, located out of operative relationship with the abutment 106 on the housing 14 and the latch is in unlocked condition.

In order to maintain the dog 194 in operative relationship with the abutment 106 'on the housing 14, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, there is provided in the bar 36 a locating member 110, said locating member being constituted by a movable tongue 112 projected from a radial opening in the bar S6 by means of an elongated spring 114. In a manner to be described in greater detail below, the locating member serves to maintain the bar S6 in the dogging position shown in Fig. l of the drawings wherein the dog 104 on said bar is juxtaposed to the abutment 106 on the side of the housing 14;. When so located, as best shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the dog 194 is interposed between the opposite edges of the outer half-round spindle 73 to prevent rotation of said spindle by the outer knob 70 and thus prevent opening of the latch 1t).

An elongated slot 116 is formed, as best shown in Figs. 1-2 and 5 of the drawings, in the retractor slide 2S and disposed in said slot for longitudinal movement with respect to said retractor slide is detent means 118. The detent means 11S includes an elongated auxiliary slide 129, said slide being provided, as best shown in Figs. 1-2 of the drawings, with a vertically oriented de! tent portion 121 engageable with the locating member 1li@ to maintain the elongated bar $6 in dogging position, as best shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The `outer extremity of the auxiliary slide is provided with a right-angularly bent leg 122 which is interposed between the one extremity 64 of the retractor lever 62 and the adjacent surface of the retractor slide 2S. Pi'heretore, the spring force of the compression spring 22 will be imposed on the retractor lever 62 by the auxiliary slide 126 and thereby on the retractor slide 28 when the bolt 2d is in extended position. The spring force is exerted on the other extremity 66 of the retractor lever 62 through the medium of the slot 68 in the bolt 20 and the spring 22 thus serves to bias the one extremity 603 of the retractor lever 62 against the leg 122 of the auxiliary slide 120. Because of the action of the spring 22 in this manner, the auxiliary slide 20 is urged inwardly to the fullest extent to locate it and its inner detent portion 121 immediately adjacent the periphery of the elongated bar 86.

Therefore, when the actuating button 9i) is depressed and the elongated bar S6 is carried to the left, as best shown in Fig. l of the drawings, the locating member iid is momentarily depressed within the opening in the bar 86 since the spring 114 permits the locating member .ti-ti to be depressed so that it can be carried beyond the inner extremity 121 of the detent means 11S. Once the bar 8d Vis located in the dogging position in this manner, the dog 1nd will be maintained in operative relationship with the abutment MP6 on the side of the latch housing id despite the bias of the compression spring 98 until any one or three actions which will release the bar 86 takes place.

For instance, after the iatch has been locked in the above described manner to prevent rotation of the outer half-round spindle 73 by virtue of the interpositioning of the dog 1de between the opposite edges of said spinile and the abutment 186 on the housing 14, it is always possible for the occupant of the room to release the lock by merely rotating the inner knob 32 which carries the inner half-round spindle 4d into engagement with the inner extremities of the locking slide 23 at 60, despite the fact that the outer half-round spindle 72 canannales not be rotated. Of course, when the inner half-round spindle 44 is so rotated and the locking slide 28 moved outwardly in the latch housing 14, the detent portion 121 is carried outwardly with the retractor slide 78 and the locating member 110 is freed therefrom to permit the spring 98 to return the bar 86 to the right, as best shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, wherein the locating member 110 lies Von the right-hand side of the detent means 118.

In addition, if a child or other incapacitated person should be locked in a room and notthave suiiicient ability or knowledge to release the latch 1i), a nail, pin, or other elongated instrument can be inserted to engage the outer end of the elongated bar 86 to push the bar to the right, as viewed in the drawings7 and cause the locating member 110 to ride over the detent portion 121 of the detent means 118 and thus release the dog 104 from juxtaposition to the abutment 106 on the latch housing 14 to permit the outerl half-round spindle 72 to be rotated by the outer knob 70 to energize the retractor slide 23, the retractor lever 62, and the bolt 20 energizabie thereby.

Furthermore, if an individual should leave a room with the latch locked by depressing the actuating button 9), but not releasing the lock by the rotation of the inner knob 32, when the bolt 20 hits the strike associated therewith, not shown, the bolt will move inwardly into the latch housing 14. Inward movement of the bolt 20 will cause the rotation of the one extremity 64 of theretractor lever 62 in a direction away from the right-angularly bent leg 122 of the auxiliary slide 120. When the retractor lever 62 releases the auxiliary slide 120 in this manner, a spring 124 engaged in the inner extremity of the auxiliary slide 120 will cause its outward movement in the slot 1.16 despite the fact that the retractor slide 2S itself is not moved and thus the locating member 110 will be released to permit the spring 98 to urge the bar 86 to the right and thus unlock the latch 10.

After the bolt 20 is released from the strike and returns to the extended position, the one extremity 64 of the retractor lever 62 once again engages the leg 122 of the auxiliary slide 120 and returns its inner extremity into juxtaposition to the periphery of the elongated oar S6.

We thus provide by our invention a privacy latch which is characterized by its simplicity of construction and operation and which provides for the automatic unlocking of the latch should it inadvertently be left in locked condition when the door is closed from the outside. Furthermore, the latch can also be opened, if an emergency should arise, from the exterior of the door and can, of course, be automatically unlocked by mere rotation of the inner knob after the locking of the latch.

We claim as our invention:

l. ln a latch, the combination of: a housing; a latch bolt movable in said housing between extended and retracted positions; a retractor slide mounted in said housing; a bolt spring interposed between said latch bolt and said retractor slide; a retractor lever having one end engageable with said bolt and its other end juxtaposed to said slide; and an auxiliary detent slide mounted in said retractor slide and having its outer end engageable by the other end of said lever to urge it inwardly in said retractor slide.

2. in a latch, the combination of: a housing; a latch bolt movable in said housing between extended and retracted positions; a retractor slide mounted in said housing; a bolt spring interposed between said latch bolt and said retractor slide; a retractor lever having one end engageable with said bolt and its other end juxtaposed to said slide; an auxiliary detent slide mounted in said retractor slide and having its outer end engageable by the other yend of said lever to urge it inwardly in said retractor slide;

and an auxiliary spring interposed between said auxiliary and retractor slides to move said auxiliary slide outwardly in said retractor slide when said bolt is moved inwardly to release the pressure of said other end of said lever on said auxiliary slide.

3. In a latch, the combination of: a housing; a latch bolt movable in said housing between extended and retracted positions; a retractor slide mounted in said housing; a dogging bar extending transversely of said retractor slide; a locating member mounted in said dogging bar; a bolt spring interposed between said latch bolt and said retractor slide; a retractor lever having one end engageable with said bolt and its other end juxtaposed to said slide; and an auxiliary detent slide mounted in said retractor slide and having its outer end engageable by the other end of said lever to urge it inwardly in said retractor slide, the inner end of said auxiliary slide being engageable with said locating member to maintain said bar in a predetermined position.

4. In a latch, the combination of: a housing; a late bolt movable in said housing between extended and retracted positions; a retractor slide mounted in said housing; a dogging bar extending transversely of said retractor slide; a locating member mounted in said dogging bar; a bolt spring interposed between said latch bolt and said retractor slide; a retractor lever having one end engageable with said bolt and its other end juxtaposed to saidV slide; an auxiliary detent slide mounted in said retractor slide and having its outer end engageable by the other end of said lever to urge it inwardly in said retractor slide, the inner end of said auxiliary slide being engageable with said locating member to maintain said bar in a predetermined position; and an auxiliary spring interposed between said auxiliary and retractor slides to move said auxiliary slide outwardly in said retractor slide when said bolt is moved inwardly to release the pressure of said other end of said lever on said auxiliary slide.

5. In a latch, the combination of: a housing; a latch bolt movable in said housing between extended and retracted positions; a retractor slide mounted in said housing, said slide having an abutment thereupon; a bolt spring interposed between said latch bolt and said retractor slide; a retractor lever having one end engageable with said boit and its other end juxtaposed to said abutment; and an auxiliary detent slide mounted in said retractor slide and having its outer end disposed between said abutment and the other end of said lever to urge it inwardly in said retractor slide.

6. In a latch, the combination of: a housing; a latch bolt movable in said housing between extended and retracted positions; a retractor slide mounted in said housing, said slide having an abutment thereupon; a bolt spring interposed between said latch bolt and said retractor slide; a retractor lever having one end engageable with said bolt and its other end juxtaposed to said abutment; an auxiliary detent slide mounted in said retractor slide and having its outer end disposed between said abutment and the other end of said lever to urge it inwardly in said retractor slide; and an auxiliary spring interposed between said auxiliary and retractor slides to move said auxiliary slide outwardly in said retractor slide when said bolt is moved inwardly to release the pressure of said other end of said lever on said auxiliary slide.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,03 8,907 

